as in joining
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriending
Characteristically, McMurtry wasn’t keen on being the subject of a full biography; Streitfeld, after befriending him, won his cooperation piecemeal.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
The frame narrative, involving Johnny befriending Toby, a Black boy his age on the plantation, Uncle Remus, and a white-trash girl, Ginny, who is bullied by her brothers, is stilted and poorly paced.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
The clip captures a solid day of shenanigans, which include dirt-biking, graffitiing, flying a kite, brandishing various plushies and smoke flares, and befriending a herd of sheep.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
Kelley makes a play for Göring’s trust by befriending his wife and daughter and carrying letters to them, against all regulations.
—Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Even the part about befriending a notorious pedophile?
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Even the bit about befriending a notorious paedophile?
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
Liza Minnelli's iconic career has included both starring alongside and befriending some of Hollywood's most prolific names, from Elizabeth Taylor to Michael Jackson.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.
—Justin Callais, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
The frame narrative, involving Johnny befriending Toby, a Black boy his age on the plantation, Uncle Remus, and a white-trash girl, Ginny, who is bullied by her brothers, is stilted and poorly paced.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
The clip captures a solid day of shenanigans, which include dirt-biking, graffitiing, flying a kite, brandishing various plushies and smoke flares, and befriending a herd of sheep.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026
Kelley makes a play for Göring’s trust by befriending his wife and daughter and carrying letters to them, against all regulations.
—Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Even the part about befriending a notorious pedophile?
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Even the bit about befriending a notorious paedophile?
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2026
Liza Minnelli's iconic career has included both starring alongside and befriending some of Hollywood's most prolific names, from Elizabeth Taylor to Michael Jackson.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.
—Justin Callais, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriending
Verb
-
Consider joining a support group to help with coping strategies.—
Helen Dennis,
Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Ultrawealthy buyers increasingly bypass the open market, instead joining developers’ private waitlists months or years in advance before a home even breaks ground.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the bill passes, anyone who wants to ride an e-bike or e-moto capable of traveling over 28 mph would be required to have a driver’s license, title, registration and insurance.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Soleimanpour wrote the play while he was forbidden from travelling outside Iran.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
It’s packed with personal emotion expressed through the dynamic world of wrestling, which has always been about storytelling and connecting with a live audience.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
This is not a party place, but one for connecting with family and friends.—
Carole Dixon,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriending. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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